Welcome to the CW Dream Team — a crew of passionate wakeboarders and wakesurfers who live for life on the water. Whether they’re throwing down behind the boat or ripping at the cable park, they’re leaders in the scene who inspire others to ride the wave and live the dream.
Cruz Cowling
Cruz grew up surfing with his dad, but discovered wakeboarding at 11 after his family bought a JetSki and later a Malibu 20VTX. He quickly progressed, learning new tricks and pushing his limits. At 12, he got a foil setup and his passion grew even stronger. Living in a remote areas of Australia has kept him from competing—so far—but he’s eager to hit the competition scene soon.
Avery Downey
Avery discovered wakeboarding at summer camp at OWC and instantly fell in love with the sport. She quickly began competing in local contests like Nona Mini Jam, where she earned 3rd, 2nd, and 1st place finishes, as well as the Slider Spectacular and OWC qualifiers, taking multiple wins. In 2023, she placed 2nd in Rookie Girls at Nationals and more recently earned 3rd in Open Women at the Broken Record Tour. Beyond competing, she strives to be a leader for young women in sports, inspiring others to chase their goals. Looking ahead, she hopes to keep progressing her riding each year while helping grow the sport she loves.
Jamie Miller
Jamie started wakeboarding at 12 after being inspired by his dad and has been riding full-time since 15. He first learned behind a 1998 MasterCraft Maristar and quickly grew his passion for the sport. In 2024, he placed 3rd at Wakefest, and now he’s focused on progressing every year and stepping into more contests to push his riding to the next level.
Leah Mergenthaler
Leah started wakeboarding just last year after a friend introduced her to the wake park, and she instantly fell in love with the sport. Though she didn’t place in her first few contests, she refused to give up—coming back stronger and earning 1st place in July against multiple riders. Still early in her journey, her goals are to continue advancing, place at Worlds in West Palm this year, and keep pushing herself to learn new tricks. Beyond competing, Leah hopes to inspire and be a role model for other young riders chasing their dreams.
Carsten Chirpich
We’re fired up to welcome Carsten from Maple Grove, Minnesota to the CW Dream Team!
Carsten lives for adventure — from climbing mountains and snowboarding fresh lines to chasing waves on the water. When summer hits, you’ll find him wakeboarding and surfing, always pushing himself to learn, grow, and take on new challenges.
His goal is simple: spend more time on the water, keep progressing, and step into competitions to reach new levels.
What truly sets Carsten apart is his heart. He’s a passionate young leader for Christ and looks forward to sharing faith, encouragement, and positivity within the wake community.